Sweta Velpillay

Bio

Sweta joined CDA in 2016 as a Senior Advisor on Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding Effectiveness. She specialises in systems analysis, conflict sensitivity and collective impact model for peacebuilding, through capacity building and accompaniment, and strategic program development for programme and policy effectiveness. At CDA Sweta currently works on the conflict sensitivity resource facility (CSRF) in South Sudan, application of collective impact model and supports CDA’s country programme in Myanmar.

Over the past 10 years Sweta has worked for a range of organizations and entities including bilateral donors, local, regional and international NGOs in different roles as conflict advisor, program manager, facilitator and trainer, as well as charged with influencing policy. She is experienced in managing large-scale, complex programs and applying peacebuilding expertise in humanitarian and development settings.

Prior to joining CDA, Sweta worked in a regional capacity for Oxfam GB to provide peacebuilding advice to fragile and conflict affected countries in Asia to improve program effectiveness, design processes that integrate conflict sensitivity into organizational policies and programs and build capacity of country teams. At the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS), she used Systems approaches to peacebuilding to provide technical support to various peace processes through conflict analysis, negotiation support, capacity building for governments, armed groups and civil society, as well as influencing peacebuilding policies of conflict actors and the international community. She worked in particular to ensure that robust local skills and institutional capacity for peacebuilding was prioritized, national level processes were complemented by local peacebuilding initiatives and lessons were shared internationally.

While working with bilateral donors, both at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO, UK) and AusAID, Sweta focused on conflict sensitivity and aid effectiveness agenda towardspeacebuilding effectiveness.